A woman received horrific internal injuries when a consultant gynaecologist from Birmingham attempted an abortion he was not capable of performing, the General Medical Council (GMC) was told on Monday.

Andrew Gbinigie ruptured the patient's womb during the operation, and pulled out her right fallopian tube and ovary, and her ureter - the tube connecting the kidney to the bladder.

Only after he had removed a piece of bowel did he realise something was wrong and called for help from staff at Birmingham's Calthorpe Clinic, Vivian Robinson, the QC representing the GMC, told the hearing.

The woman was rushed to a hospital for specialist treatment and her life was saved, although one of her kidneys had to be removed.

Improper behaviour

Mr Gbinigie, of Barnt Green, is also charged with behaving improperly towards two hospital staff and touching the breast and bottom of one of the women.

He denies serious professional misconduct.

Mr Robinson told the committee that Mr Gbinigie's problems began on his very first day at the Calthorpe Clinic when, during his morning duties, he left parts of foetuses inside three women during abortions and these had to be removed.

The theatre sister became concerned about the consultant's capabilities and told senior staff, who had a meeting with him at lunchtime.

Doctor's uncertainty

But Mr Gbinigie reassured the senior staff he was capable of performing abortions where the foetus was more than 15 weeks old.

Mr Robinson said Mr Gbinigie's first operation in the afternoon was the termination of a 20-week-old foetus.

The hearing was told the consultant removed a piece of white human tissue the theatre sister did not recognise, and a long piece of cord with a loop on both ends.

"He then pulled down what appeared to the sister to be some bowel," Mr Robinson told the hearing.

Missing arm

She was shocked and asked if it was the bowel and he said he was not sure," the QC added.

Mr Robinson said that Mr Gbinigie realised what he had done and the patient was taken to Birmingham Women's Hospital.

He added that, when the women's abdomen was opened, the "cavity was full of blood and floating on top was a 20-week-old foetus, largely intact apart from a missing arm and a missing leg".